DFOP0017103 Lab Twinning NOFO - 377.docx

U.S. Department of State

Notice Of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

ELIGIBILITY

The following organizations are eligible to apply:

☒Domestic Not for Profit Organizations ☒Foreign Not for Profit Organizations ☒Public Institutions of Higher Education ☒Private Institutions of Higher Education ☒Foreign Public Entities (FPEs)/Public International Organizations (PIOs) ☒Other: U.S. Federal Government Entities

CONTACT INFORMATION

For assistance with the requirements of this solicitation, please contact the ISN/NDF Grants Mailbox isn-ndf-grants@state.gov.

Table of Contents

Section A: Funding Opportunity Description A.1 Executive Summary The Department of State’s Office of the Nonproliferation and Disarmament Fund (ISN/NDF) is pleased to announce an open competition for assistance awards through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). ISN/NDF invites non-profit/non-governmental organizations, international organizations, educational institutions, and US federal government entities to submit proposals for projects that will advance the mission of NDF’s biological weapons threat reduction priorities. Proposals may not exceed the total availability of funds under this NOFO. ISN/NDF prefers proposals that fully address the objectives as outlined in Section A.4.

Organizations that submit an application in response to this NOFO announcement acknowledge and accept all the requirements contained herein. The submission in response to this announcement is voluntary and does not obligate the Department of State to fund the proposal or proposal preparation costs. Please note: Receipt of this NOFO requesting a full application should not be construed as a guarantee of funding. All awards are subject to the availability of funds and the negotiation and finalization of the approved budget and award package.

A.2 Office Background The Office of the Nonproliferation and Disarmament Fund (NDF), part of the Department’s Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN), develops and executes projects in support of U.S. Government disarmament and proliferation threat reduction priorities. ISN/NDF efforts prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), missiles, and advanced or destabilizing conventional weapons to terrorists and other rogue entities; support bilateral and multilateral efforts to halt the proliferation of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons, their delivery systems, related technologies, and other weapons; and secure, remove, or destroy WMD and its delivery systems.

A.3. Project Background:

Genome sequence analysis is a critical tool for the investigation of alleged biological weapons attacks. However, there are a limited number of laboratories in the world that can sufficiently perform this type of analysis, and they are concentrated in the Global North. If the network of capable of laboratories is not expanded, there is a risk to sample preservation during extended transportation to a suitable laboratory. This project aims to develop the nascent capabilities of at least two laboratories in the Global South to such a level of expertise that would make each a trusted resource for a future investigation of an alleged biological weapons attack.

A.4. Project Objectives:

ISN/NDF seeks to build the capability of at least two laboratories in Latin America, in forensic genome sequence analysis. Specifically, bioinformatic, epidemiological, and microbiology expertise in looking for anomalies in sequencing results that could indicate deliberate modification. This award will primarily be a dry-lab (i.e., data analysis) exercise, but NDF will consider tandem wet-lab work to build genome sequencing skills with a lower priority. Proposals from laboratories that are experienced in forensic genome sequence analysis may include, but are not limited to, the following types of activities and requirements:

· Together with ISN/NDF, select suitable laboratories in Latin America as twinning partners.

· Assess the level of skill and knowledge of the selected laboratories through virtual meetings, written surveys, and/or in-person visits.

· Design a training program for the partner laboratory. This could include:

· In-person training and on-line training modules based on the initial assessment.

· Technical exchange visits between the more experienced and less experienced laboratories.

· Program of practical exercises in data analysis for training purposes that build upon on each other during the program and include sufficient learning and reflection between exercises. Two exercises could be conducted in the first year and two in the second year.

· Prepare and carry out a final data analysis exercise that will demonstrate that the partner laboratory has reached the desired proficiency level. The final exercise could involve a simulated realistic investigation scenario and data set, as well as operations under politically-realistic deadlines.

Project objectives support the State-USAID Joint Strategic Plan Goal 1, Objective 1. 1: Strengthen Global Health Security and Combat Infectious Disease Threats; and ISN Goal 2: Counter Biological Threats to U.S. National Security and International Public Safety.

A.5. Expected Outcomes Following the completion of this project, the target laboratories will have gained:

· Skill in selecting and employing appropriate bioinformatics tools;

· Thorough understanding of required cybersecurity and data security (“chain of custody”) procedures;

· Ability to integrate relevant information on the source and characteristics of the field sample analyzed into the data analysis;

· Ability to integrate information on the natural variation of the pathogen in question into the analysis;

· Good understanding of methods for genome modification and of indications that such a technique has been used; and

· Demonstrated ability to achieve a high level of proficiency in a series of challenging exercises in analysis of real and simulated data sets.

A.6. Performance Indicators To ensure that the grant’s goals are achieved and that the party is meeting its obligations, the following performance indicators may be used, but are not limited to:

· On-time delivery/milestone achievement

· Cost performance/budget adherence

· Quality of deliverables

· Compliance with grant terms

· Communication with State Department

· Gender representation and accessibility

A.7. Key Considerations All proposals must make a clear and compelling case for how the applicant will advance the capabilities of genomic sequence analysis of the laboratories, how they will address partner-specific political, technical, and/or logistical realities, and how they will support the objectives of the NOFO and complement existing U.S. Government initiatives in this area. Sustainability is paramount to ISN/NDF’s and the Department’s long-term biosafety, biosecurity, and global health security objectives. ISN/NDF will view the following attributes favorably in the proposal consideration process:

· Existing, in-house technical capacity in genome sequence analysis for alleged malicious biological incidents is a critical factor for this award;

· Extensive experience in genomic sequence analysis for anomalies, specifically in reference to alleged malicious biological incidents;

· Laboratories with subject matter experts in bioinformatics, epidemiology, and microbiology;

· Familiarity with international mechanisms for investigating the use of biological weapons, such as the UN Secretary-General's Mechanism;

· Existing relationships with capable laboratories in Latin America;

· Multifaceted capacity building, training, and mentorship efforts that make an immediate and lasting threat reduction impact within the first year of funding availability;

· Effective mechanisms for long-term sustainment post-engagement;

· Proposals that highlight efforts to encourage the inclusion of more women and other historically under-represented groups in both implementer and participant roles; and

· All potential applicants should be knowledgeable of existing programs in the proposed countries/regions, including those funded by other Department of State and U.S. Government interagency programs, in order to avoid duplication of effort.

Section B: Federal Award Information B.1. Available Funding This notice is subject to availability of funding. The authority for this funding opportunity is found in Section 504 of the FREEDOM Support Act of 1992.

Organizations may form a consortium and submit a combined proposal. However, only one organization must be designated as the lead applicant, with the remaining organizations designated as sub-awardees. The lead applicant must meet the eligibility criteria listed in Section C.

The Department of State reserves the right to (a) fund any or none of the applications received; (b) reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase the budget in accordance with bureau proprieties and the availability of funds; (c) accept other than the lowest cost application.

The U.S. government may make award(s) on the basis of initial applications received, without discussions or negotiations. Therefore, each initial application should contain the applicant's best terms from a cost and technical standpoint. The U.S. government reserves the right (though it is under no obligation to do so), however, to enter into discussions with one or more applicants in order to obtain clarifications, additional detail, or to suggest refinements in the project description, budget, or other aspects of an application.

B.2. Award Management The successful applicant will need to routinely collaborate with ISN/NDF through regular meetings and conference calls to discuss progress, challenges, emerging topics, etc. The successful applicant must ensure that all funds are used in a manner consistent with any applicable restrictions on funding. See D.5 below for funding restrictions.

Section C: Eligibility Information C.1 Eligible Applicants ISN/NDF welcomes applications from U.S.-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations with or without 501(c) (3) status of the U.S. tax code; foreign-based non-profit organizations/nongovernment organizations (NGO); Public International Organizations; Foreign Public Organizations; U.S.-based private, public, State institutions of higher education; Foreign-based institutions of higher education; and U.S. Federal Government Entities.

Please see 2 CFR 200.307 for regulations regarding program income.

C.2 Cost-Sharing or Matching The non-Federal share of costs, frequently called “cost share” or “matching costs”, refers to that portion of the project or program costs not borne by the Federal Government. This may include cash and third-party in-kind contributions. These costs must reflect the realistic capacity of the applicants and any third-party contributors.

Providing cost sharing, matching, or cost participation is not an eligibility factor or requirement for this NOFO and providing cost share will not result in a more favorable competitive ranking. Per 2 CFR §200.306, items that are proposed for cost share must be allowable per 2 CFR §200, Subpart E—Costs Principles.

Voluntary cost-share: Should the applicant choose to contribute voluntary cost-share but does not meet the minimum amount of the voluntary cost-sharing stipulated in the applicant’s budget, DOS’ contribution may be reduced in proportion to the applicant’s contribution.

C.3 Other Eligibility Criteria Any applicant with an exclusion in the Exclusions section of the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) and/or has a current debt to the U.S. government is not eligible to apply for an assistance award in accordance with the OMB guidelines at 2 CFR 180 that implement Executive Orders 12549 (3 CFR, 1986 Comp., p. 189) and 12689 (3 CFR, 1989 Comp., p. 235), “Debarment and Suspension.” Additionally, no entity or person listed in the Exclusions section of SAM.gov can participate in any activities under an award. All applicants are strongly encouraged to review the Exclusions section in Sam.gov to ensure that no ineligible entity or person is included in their application.

Section D: APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION D.1 Solicitation Package Applicants can find application forms, instructions or other materials needed to apply on grants.gov and MyGrants under the announcement title “Laboratory Twinning: Genome Sequence Analysis as a Tool Investigating an Alleged Biological Weapons Attack,” funding opportunity number “DFOP0017103.” Please contact the ISN/NDF Grants point of contact listed on the cover page if requesting reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities or for security reasons. Please note that reasonable accommodations do not include deadline extensions.

D.2 Content and Form of Application Submission Application Content: Applicants must follow the NOFO instructions and conditions contained herein and supply all information required. Failure to furnish all information or comply with stated requirements will result in disqualification from the competition. Applicants must set forth full, accurate, and complete information as required by this NOFO. The penalty for making false statements in proposals to the U.S. government is prescribed on 18 U.S.C.1001.

Please ensure:

· The proposal clearly addresses the goals and objectives of this funding opportunity

· All documents are in English

· All budgets are in U.S. dollars

· All pages are numbered

· All documents are formatted to 8 ½ x 11-inch paper, and

· All Microsoft Word documents are single-spaced, 12 point Calibri font, with a minimum of 1-inch margins.

The completed submission must consist of the following five parts:

Section 1 - Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) and Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A):

These forms are completed within the MyGrants portal. Completion instructions can be found on-line at: https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family Organizations recognized as FPEs, PIOs, U.S. Federal Government Entities are encouraged but not required to complete the SF-424 and SF-424A documents.

Section 2 – Project Proposal Narrative:

The proposal should contain sufficient information that anyone not familiar with it would understand exactly what the applicant wants to do. Applicants may choose to use their own proposal format, but it must include at a minimum the following components limited to 6 pages in length.

· Proposal Summary: Short narrative that outlines the proposed program, including program objectives and anticipated impact.

· Introduction to the Organization or Individual applying: A description of past and present operations, showing ability to carry out the program, including information on all previous grants from the U.S. Embassy and/or U.S. government agencies. Existing, in-house technical capacity in genome sequence analysis for alleged malicious biological incidents is a critical factor for this award.

· Problem Statement: Clear, concise and well-supported statement of the problem to be addressed and why the proposed program is needed

· Program Goals and Objectives: The “goals” describe what the program is intended to achieve. The “objectives” refer to the intermediate accomplishments on the way to the goals. These should be achievable and measurable.

· Program Activities: Describe the program activities and how they will help achieve the objectives.

· Program Methods and Design: A description of how the program is expected to work to solve the stated problem and achieve the goal. Include a logic model as appropriate.

· Proposed Program Schedule and Timeline: The proposed timeline for the program activities. Include the dates, times, and locations of planned activities and events.

· Program Partners (if applicable): List the names and type of involvement of key partner organizations and sub-awardees.

· Program Monitoring and Evaluation Plan: This is an important part of successful grants. Throughout the time-frame of the grant, how will the activities be monitored to ensure they are happening in a timely manner, and how will the program be evaluated to make sure it is meeting the goals of the grant?

· Future Funding or Sustainability Applicant’s plan for continuing the program beyond the grant period, or the availability of other resources, if applicable.

Section 3 – Detailed Budget:

Applicants not recognized as FPEs or PIOs must provide detailed budget information according to the OMB cost categories as referenced in the SF-424A:

· Personnel;

· Fringe benefits;

· Travel;

· Equipment;

· Supplies;

· Contractual services;

· Construction;

· Other direct costs; and

· Indirect costs.

· If the applicant organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) with the U.S. Federal Government, it must submit a copy of it as part of its application. This is considered an integral part of the detailed budget.

In addition to completion of the SF-424A within the MyGrants platform, applicants must use the attached template to break out expenses on a line-item basis. The detailed budget should be attached as a separate document from the proposal narrative. FPEs and PIOs are highly encouraged but are not required to complete the SF-424A or use the provided template, though they are expected at a minimum to provide similarly detailed budget information.

Section 4 – Budget Narrative:

Applicants must provide a full and detailed budget narrative for each project. The budget narrative should include details on how figures/numbers were calculated if not clearly shown in the detailed budget as well as a narrative description of each line item in the budget.

Applicants must adhere to the requirements of the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR), including Fly America Act requirements, when proposing and conducting travel. For further information and current foreign per diem rates, please visit: https://aoprals.state.gov/web920/per_diem.asp Section 5 – Key Personnel Documentation:

Applicants must provide a one-page (or less) resume or detailed position description for each key personnel position identified. These documents must be consolidated into a single document for submission. Proposed key personnel do not need to be final but must represent level of expertise and qualifications that the applicant would require if funded.

Note: Items submitted beyond the above requirements are not compliant with competition requirements. Additional documentation submitted will not be evaluated and may lead to disqualification from the competition.

D.3 Required Registrations All organizations, whether based in the United States or in another country, must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and an active registration with the SAM.gov. A UEI is one of the data elements mandated by Public Law 109-282, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), for all Federal awards.

Note: As of April 2022, a DUNS number is no longer required for federal assistance applications.

The 2 CFR 200 requires that sub-grantees obtain a UEI number. Please note the UEI for sub-grantees is not required at the time of application but will be required before an award is processed and/or directed to a sub-grantee.

Note: The process of obtaining or renewing a SAM.gov registration may take anywhere from 4-8 weeks. Please begin your registration as early as possible.

· Organizations based in the United States or that pay employees within the United States will need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and a UEI number prior to registering in SAM.gov.

· Organizations based outside of the United States and that do not pay employees within the United States do not need an EIN from the IRS but do need a UEI number prior to registering in SAM.gov.

· Please note that as of November 2022 and February 2023 respectively, organizations based outside of the United States that do not intend to apply for U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) awards are no longer required to have a NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) code or CAGE code to apply for non-DoD foreign assistance funding opportunities. If an applicant organization is mid-registration and wishes to remove a CAGE or NCAGE code from their SAM.gov registration, the applicant should submit a help desk ticket (“incident”) with the Federal Service Desk (FSD) online at www.fsd.gov using the following language: “I do not intend to seek financial assistance from the Department of Defense. I do not wish to obtain a CAGE or NCAGE code. I understand that I will need to submit my registration after this incident is resolved in order to have my registration activated.”

Organizations based outside of the United States and that DO NOT plan to do business with the DoD should follow the below instructions:

Step 1: Proceed to SAM.gov to obtain a UEI and complete the SAM.gov registration process. SAM.gov registration must be renewed annually.

Organizations based outside of the United States and that DO plan to do business with the DoD in addition to Department of State should follow the below instructions:

Step 1: Apply for an NCAGE code by following the instructions on the NSPA NATO website linked below:

NCAGE Homepage:

https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/sc/CageList.aspx NCAGE Code Request Tool (NCRT):

D.3.1 SAM.gov/UEI Exemptions An exemption from the requirements listed above may be permitted under the following circumstances:

· For any applicant or recipient: if the federal awarding agency determines that it must protect information about the entity from disclosure if it is in the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States, or to avoid jeopardizing the personal safety of the applicant or recipient's staff or clients.

· For a foreign organization or foreign public entity applying for or receiving a federal award or subaward for a project or program performed outside the United States valued at less than $25,000: if the federal awarding agency deems it to be impractical for the entity to comply with the requirement(s). This exemption must be determined by the federal awarding agency on a case-by-case basis while utilizing a risk-based approach and does not apply if subawards are anticipated.

· For an applicant: if the federal awarding agency makes a determination that there are exigent circumstances that prohibit the applicant from receiving a unique entity identifier and completing SAM registration prior to receiving a federal award. In these instances, federal awarding agencies must require the recipient to obtain a unique entity identifier and complete SAM registration within 30 days of the federal award date.

Organizations requesting exemption from UEI or SAM.gov requirements must email the point of contact listed in the NOFO at least two weeks prior to the deadline in the NOFO providing a justification of their request. Approval for a SAM.gov exemption must come from the warranted Grants Officer before the application can be deemed eligible for review.

D.4 Submission Details and Times Applications are due no later than 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET), on 31 January 2025 on MyGrants under the announcement title “Laboratory Twinning: Genome Sequence Analysis as a Tool Investigating an Alleged Biological Weapons Attack,” funding opportunity number “DFOP0017103.”

Faxed, couriered, or emailed documents will not be accepted. Reasonable accommodations may, in appropriate circumstances, be provided to applicants with disabilities or for security reasons. U.S. Federal Government Entities are the only type of organization exempt from submission via MyGrants and must submit their applications via email to ISN-NDF-Grants.state.gov.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that it has an active registration in MyGrants and that an application has been received by the system in its entirety. Application submissions are automatically logged by date and time when made in MyGrants, and the Department of State will use this information to determine whether an application has been submitted on time. Late applications are neither reviewed nor considered. Applicants should not expect a notification upon ISN/NDF receiving their application.

ISN/NDF bears no responsibility for disqualification that results from applicants not being registered before the due date, for registration errors in either system, or other errors in the application process.

Section E: Application Review Information E.1 Proposal Review Criteria Applicants should note that the following criteria serve as a standard against which all project proposals will be evaluated and identify significant considerations that should be addressed in all proposals.

ISN/NDF will evaluate proposals against the stated criteria. Criteria are listed in descending order of importance.

· Proposed Activity or Activities: Applications should be responsive to the program framework and policy objectives identified in the solicitation, appropriate in the country/regional and organizational context, and should clearly describe what they propose to do and how they will do it. The proposed project(s) should directly relate to meeting all specified objectives within at least one of the above lines of effort and applicants should include specific information on how these objectives will advance ISN/NDF’s mission. ISN/NDF will evaluate the project proposal in terms of how well it addresses the biological threat reduction issues at hand, relevance and feasibility of the proposed activities, the timeline for completion, and the extent to which the impact of the project will continue beyond the conclusion of the period of performance.

· Organizational Capability: Applicants must demonstrate how their resources, capabilities, and experience will enable them to achieve the stated goals and objectives in an international technical context. The proposal(s) must identify all key partners and organizations that will be involved in implementation of this project. Finally, proposals should demonstrate how the applicant will manage all specified objectives within at least one of the above lines of effort.

· Budget: Proposed costs will be evaluated for realism, fiscal control practices, and efficiency. ISN/NDF must be able to determine that proposed costs are reasonable, allowable, and allocable to the proposed project activities. ISN/NDF will evaluate the budget to determine if the overall costs are realistic for the work to be performed, if the costs reflect the applicant’s understanding of the allowable cost principles established by OMB Circulars A-122 and/or A-21, and if the costs are consistent with the project narrative.

· Past Performance: In reviewing proposals, ISN/NDF will evaluate the organization’s past performance on other federal and non-federal grants and cooperative agreements. This will include a review of whether objectives for past awards were met; whether the organization complied with the terms of conditions of past awards, including reporting and financial management requirements; and the timeliness of project implementation.

E.2 Review and Selection Process The Department of State is committed to ensuring a competitive and standardized process for awarding funding. Applications will be screened initially in a Technical Eligibility Review stage to determine whether applicants meet the eligibility requirements outlined in section C and have submitted all required documents outlined in section D. Applications that do not meet these requirements will not advance beyond the Technical Eligibility Review stage and will be deemed ineligible for funding under this NOFO.

All applications that are deemed eligible will move forward to the Merit Review Panel consisting of U.S. government subject matter and/or country-specific experts and will be rated on a 100-point scale. ISN/NDF reserves the right to request the assistance of non-US government Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), if appropriate to the solicitation. Panel Reviewers will determine scores based on the strengths and weaknesses of the aforementioned categories and for consistency with the program goals and objectives outlined in this NOFO. Panel Reviewers’ ratings, and any resulting recommendations, are advisory. Panel Reviewers may provide conditions and recommendations on applications to enhance the proposed project, which must be addressed by the applicant before further consideration of the award. To ensure effective use of US Government funds, conditions or recommendations may include requests to increase, decrease, clarify, and/or justify costs and project activities.

ISN/NDF reserves the right to make an award based on the initial application received with or without discussion or negotiations. Therefore, applications should contain the Applicants’ best terms from both cost and technical standpoints.

Final selection authority resides with ISN/NDF senior level official. Final award decisions will be influenced by whether the application meets the Department of State’s programmatic goals and objectives, how it supports the Department’s overarching foreign policy priorities, and the geographic distribution of the top-ranking applications.

Section F: Federal Award Administration Information F.1. Federal Award Notices ISN/NDF will provide a separate notification to applicants on the result of their applications. Successful applicants will receive a letter with review panel conditions and recommendations. This notification is not an authorization to begin activities and does not constitute formal approval or a funding commitment.

Final approval is contingent on the applicant successfully responding to the review panel’s conditions and recommendations; Congressional Notification requirements; registration in required systems; and completing and providing any additional documentation requested by ISN/NDF or the Department’s warranted Grants Officer.

The Grants Officer is the U.S. Government official delegated with authority by the U.S. Department of State, Procurement Executive, to write, award, and administer grants and cooperative agreements. The notice of Federal award signed by the Grants Officer is the sole authorizing document. The recipient may only start incurring program expenses beginning on the start date shown on the grant award document signed by the Grants Officer. If awarded, the notice of Federal award will be provided to the applicant’s designated Authorizing Official via SAMS/MyGrants to be electronically counter-signed in the system.

Additional information that successful applicants may be required to submit after notification of intent to make a Federal award, but prior to issuance of a Federal award, may include:

· Written responses and any revised application documents addressing any conditions or recommendations from the Review Panel and awarding bureau;

· Completion of the Department’s Financial Management Survey, if receiving funding for the first time or requested by the Grants Officer;

· Submission of required documents to register in the Payment Management System (PMS) managed by the Department of Health and Human Services if receiving funding for the first time. PMS registration is bureau-specific;

· Other requested information or documents included in this funding opportunity or subsequent communications with the recommended applicant prior to issuance of a federal award.

Pursuant to 2 CFR 200.400(g), it is U.S. Department of State policy not to award profit under assistance instruments.

Payments under this award will be made through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Payment Management System (PMS) or by completing form SF-270—Request for Advance or Reimbursement and submitting the form. Final determination will be made in conjunction with the Grants Officer. Unless otherwise stipulated, the Recipient may request payments on a reimbursement or advance basis. Instructions for requesting payments via PMS are available at: https://pms.psc.gov/. Instructions for requesting payments via SF-270 are available at: https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/post-award-reporting-forms.

Advance payments must be limited to the minimum amounts needed and be timed to be in accordance with the actual, immediate cash requirements of the Recipient in carrying out the purpose of this award. The timing and amount of advance payments must be as close to as is administratively feasible to the actual disbursements by the Recipient for direct program or project costs and the proportionate share of any allowable indirect costs.

2 CFR §200.501 requires domestic/US non-federal entities that expend $1,000,000, or more, in federal assistance during the organization’s fiscal year to have a single or program-specific audit conducted for that year. In addition, the entity must report the collected audit data elements on the form SF-SAC and submit it to the FAC. Any findings such as material weaknesses, significant deficiencies, or material noncompliance are reported on the SF-SAC.

F.2 Administrative and National Policy and Legal Requirements ISN/NDF requires all recipients of federal assistance funding to comply with all applicable Department and Federal laws and regulations, including but not limited to the following:

The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards set forth in 2 CFR Chapter 200 (Sub-Chapters A through F) shall apply to all non-Federal entities, except for assistance awards to Individuals and Foreign Public Entities. Sub-Chapters A through E shall apply to all foreign organizations, and Sub-Chapters A through D shall apply to all U.S. and foreign for-profit entities. The applicant/recipient of the award and any sub-recipient under the award must comply with all applicable terms and conditions, in addition to the assurance and certifications made part of the Notice of Award. The Department’s Standard Terms and Conditions can be viewed at https://www.state.gov/about-us-office-of-the-procurement-executive/.

Before submitting an application, applicants should review all the terms and conditions and required certifications which will apply to this award, to ensure that they will be able to comply. These include:

· 2 CFR 25 - UNIVERSAL IDENTIFIER AND SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT

· 2 CFR 170 - REPORTING SUBAWARD AND EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION INFORMATION

· 2 CFR 175 - AWARD TERM FOR TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS

· 2 CFR 182 - GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE)

· 2 CFR 183 - NEVER CONTRACT WITH THE ENEMY

· 2 CFR 600 – DEPARTMENT OF STATE REQUIREMENTS

In accordance with the Office of Management and Budget’s guidance located at 2 CFR part 200, all applicable Federal laws, and relevant Executive guidance, the Department of State will review and consider applications for funding, as applicable to specific programs, pursuant to this notice of funding opportunity in accordance with the following:

· The President’s September 2, 2020, memorandum, entitled Memorandum on Reviewing Funding to State and Local Government Recipients of Federal Funds that Are Permitting Anarchy, Violence, and Destruction in American Cities;

· Executive Order on Protecting American Monuments, Memorials, and Statues and Combating Recent Criminal Violence (E.O. 13933); and

· Guidance for Grants and Agreements in Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations (2 CFR), as updated in the Federal Register’s 85 FR 49506 on August 13, 2020, particularly on:

· Selecting recipients most likely to be successful in delivering results based on the program objectives through an objective process of evaluating Federal award applications (2 CFR part 200.205),

· Promoting the freedom of speech and religious liberty in alignment with Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty (E.O. 13798) and Improving Free Inquiry, Transparency, and Accountability at Colleges and Universities (E.O. 13864) (§§ 200.300, 200.303, 200.339, and 200.341),

· Providing a preference, to the extent permitted by law, to maximize use of goods, products, and materials produced in the United States (2 CFR part 200.322), and

· Terminating agreements in whole or in part to the greatest extent authorized by law, if an award no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities (2 CFR part 200.340).

F.3 Reporting Reporting is critical to effective program management and oversight. Reports are required as a means of evaluating the recipient’s progress and utilization of resources. They are divided between a performance progress report and a financial status report submitted on a quarterly basis or as determined by the grants officer. Applicants should be aware that ISN/NDF awards will require that all reports (financial and progress) are uploaded to the grant file in MyGrants.

Financial Reports The Recipient is required to submit financial reports throughout the project period, using Form SF-425, the Federal Financial Report (FFR) form, as well as forms suggested by the Grants Officer Representative. If payment is made through the Payment Management System, all financial reports must be submitted electronically through the Payment Management System. The Recipient is also required to upload to MyGrants a pdf version of all financial reports (Federal Financial report) they have submitted in the Payment Management System. The SF-425 can be found on OMB’s website forms tab: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/post-award-reporting-forms.html#sortby=1.

Program Reports The Recipient will be required to submit quarterly narrative progress reports (unless stipulated otherwise in the final Agreement) throughout the project period to the award file in MyGrants.

Narrative progress reports should reflect continued focus on measuring the project’s progress in achieving the overarching goal. Explain and evaluate how activities reflect progress toward expected outcomes and outcomes towards achieving objectives. Reports should also include an update on expenditures during the quarter. Where relevant, progress reports should also include the following:

· Relevant contextual information (limited);

· Any tangible impact or success stories from the project, when possible;

· Copy of mid-term and/or final evaluation report(s) conducted by an external evaluator; if applicable;

· Relevant supporting documentation or products related to the project activities (such as articles, meeting lists and agendas, participant surveys, photos, manuals, etc.) as separate attachments;

· Description of how the recipient is pursuing sustainability, including looking for sources of follow-on funding;

· Any problems/challenges in implementing the project and corrective action plan with an updated timeline of activities;

· Reasons why activities have not been conducted or deliverables were not met in accordance with the timeline;

· Proposed activities for the next quarter; and,

· Additional pertinent information, including analysis and explanation of cost overruns or high unit costs, if applicable.

Final Reporting A final financial and progress report is due no later than 120 calendar days after the expiration date of the award. The Final Progress Report shall include the following elements: executive summary, successes, outcomes, best practices, how the project addresses gender issues and marginalized communities, how the project will be sustained. Additional guidance may be provided prior to the award end date.

NOTE: Delays in reporting may result in delays of payment approvals and failure to provide required reports may jeopardize the recipients’ ability to receive future U.S. government funds. ISN/NDF reserves the right to request any additional programmatic and/or financial project information during the award period of performance.

It is the Department of State’s policy that English is the official language of all award documents. If reports or any other supporting documents are provided in both English and a foreign language, it must be stated in each version that the English language version is the controlling version. The controlling currency is the US dollar. Financial reports must be submitted in U.S. dollars.

Applicants should be aware of the post award reporting requirements reflected in 2 CFR 200 Appendix XII—Award Term and Condition for Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters.

Foreign Assistance Data Review (FADR):

As required by Congress, the Department of State must make progress in its efforts to improve tracking and reporting of foreign assistance data through the Foreign Assistance Data Review (FADR). FADR requires tracking of foreign assistance activity data from budgeting, planning, and allocation through obligation and disbursement. Geographical and program area information is now coded within the subaccount/award number. Recipients will be required to report and draw down federal funding based on the appropriate FADR Data Elements, indicated within their award documentation. In cases where more than one FADR Data Element has been identified, typically program or sector and/or regions or country, the Recipient will be required to maintain separate accounting records and request expenses to each account separately.

F.4 Project Implementation Kickoff and Work Plan Project Implementation Meeting: The Recipient will have a pre-project implementation meeting with ISN/NDF within 30 days after the grant is awarded and before any work is performed for the award.

Project Work Plan: The Recipient shall submit to ISN/NDF within 30 days of award a draft project work plan (PWP), aligned with project management best practices, that includes a description of the project goal, discrete objectives, and planned activities; projected timeframes for accomplishing them; and performance indicators/metrics of success toward intended outcomes. ISN/NDF will review the plan in consultation with appropriate stakeholders and provide feedback to the Recipient detailing necessary revisions/adjustments to the plan to be made within 15 days of receipt.

G. Disclaimer on Future Funding To maximize the impact and sustainability of the award(s) that result from this NOFO, ISN/NDF retains the right to execute non-competitive continuation amendment(s). The total duration of any award, including potential non-competitive continuation amendments, shall not exceed 60 months, or five years. Any non-competitive continuation is contingent on performance and pending availability of funds. A non-competitive continuation is not guaranteed, and the Department of State reserves the right to exercise or not to exercise this option.